John 16:33
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Do you worry?
If so, from whence do those worries arise?
Is it a troubled, wayward child? An aging parent, who is struggling with health problems? A shake-up at the workplace, where you think your job is jeopardized? A relationship you once thought invincibly strong, now on the rocks The sudden, tragic loss of a spouse? A persistent health issue?
If it makes you feel any better, I have experienced in the past, and am presently experiencing, these precarious and anxiety-producing situations.
How did I deal with them then, and how do I deal with them now?
Prayer!
The minute I feel worry rear its ugly, joy-stealing head, I run to my Father. Granted, sometimes my prayers are clumsy, emotional and awkward; the kind that dissolve into tears without warning.
But after all these years of trusting in the Lord, I know He hears and cares and heals in His perfect timing.
Am I always content with God's answers, or lack thereof?
No, but I hold fast to Jesus' promise that in Him, I, and all of us, will have peace in our hearts, our minds and our souls.
We will be able to lay our burdens upon His light yoke, and move forward in faith, knowing that He is looking after those whom we love so much better than we ever could.
Jesus grants us the peace that passes all understanding.
Grab on and hold on, my friends, to that perfect peace!
Pray, and leave your worries in the comforting, capable hands of God.
I'm confident He will whisper: "Don't worry, my child. Be happy!"
~
Are you going through a tough time in your life right now? How can I pray for you?
Prayer: Father, for so many years, I claimed my worries as my own, too trivial to share with You or ask for help. No that I know no request is too small, I leave all my worries and cares at Your feet, for Your yoke is light and ready to bear my burdens. Heal our troubled hearts, dear Lord, and assure us of Your peace. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
I wanted to share this post but I cannot find your "share buttons." Where are they?
ReplyDeleteCarol, I'm seeing them right above your comment, so I'm not sure what to tell you. I'd love it if you could/would share, though. :)
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha, thank you for sharing this post on worry. It's so easy worry about nearly anything. Yet, we really don't have to worry when we have Jesus as our Savior. Learning to pray FIRST is important, yet hard to learn. Worry is counterproductive, wasting precious time and energy. My guess is that worry is a habit for many (and sometimes learned from others).
ReplyDeleteI've already shared this on Google+ and plan to share on Facebook (a bit later), and on Twitter (if I remember!).
Love and blessings!
Yes, Kim, learning to pray first is of the utmost importance. It took me a long time to get there, and there are times when it's a struggle, especially when a truly painful reality crashes in. It's really sad for me to see my Mom being an almost constant worrier - habit? Yes. I've encouraged her to pray instead of worry, but old habits die hard.
DeleteThank you in advance for your shares, my friend!
Love and blessings!
What a blessing to have the antidote for worry. Trusting His promises and turning to Him in prayer. We are blessed my friend! Thanks for this great reminder!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Deb, what a blessing to trust in Jesus, and to leave all our worries with Him! He can, and will, meet us and our needs where we are.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Love the reassurance found here tonight. I have a way of denying worrying but honestly worry much more than I admit. Yes yes prayer is the answer. Good words to read tonight...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jean! Glad you found this post to be reassuring and meaningful. Prayer is always the answer.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Worry causes anxiety in me and then it affects my health. As much as I would like to say I have conquered worry, I confess it conquers me a lot. Trust is the only way out of worry and it's not always as easy as saying, ok Lord, I trust you once...it must be repeated for it to finally stick in my heart. Great post Martha.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Betty, that trusting in God to relieve us of our worries is a practiced task. We so want to offer all our troubles to Him, but too often, we snatch them right back before He's had the time to deal with them. We are all works in progress.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Amen, Martha. He's just waiting to grant us the peace and rest we yearn for. It's just so hard for us to give up our own striving in exchange for His grace ...
ReplyDeleteYes, Linda, it sure can be difficult to do, but we truly must if we want to live the abundant life promised to us by Jesus.
DeleteLove and blessings!